Facial expression recognition is linked to clinical and neurofunctional differences in autism

Meyer-Lindenberg, Hannah; Moessnang, Carolin; Oakley, Bethany; Ahmad, Jumana; Mason, Luke; Jones, Emily J. H.; Hayward, Hannah L.; Cooke, Jennifer; Crawley, Daisy; Holt, Rosemary; Tillmann, Julian; Charman, Tony; Baron-Cohen, Simon; Banaschewski, Tobias; Beckmann, Christian; Tost, Heike; Meyer-Lindenberg, Andreas; Buitelaar, Jan K.; Murphy, Declan G.; Brammer, Michael J.; Loth, Eva

doi:10.1186/s13229-022-00520-7

Molecular Autism

Table 1 Participant characteristics, by task

From: Facial expression recognition is linked to clinical and neurofunctional differences in autism

	N		Age (yrs) Mean ± SD Range			IQ Mean ± SD Range			Sex m:f			Neuropsychiatric symptoms*		Medication use
	Autism	Control¹	Autism	Control	Sign	Autism	Control	Sign	Autism	Control	Sign	Autism	Control	Autism	Control
	A. KDEF
Overall	251	150	16.38 ± 5.78 6.23–30.17	15.68 ± 5.68 6.23–29.8	P > 0.05	98.69 ± 19.88 55–148	104.49 ± 19.23 51–142	P < 0.01	181:70	98:52	P > 0.05	99	4	108 (43%)	29 (19%)
Schedule A	70	41	22.48 ± 3.53 18.01–30.13	22.31 ± 3.28 18.11–29.84	P > 0.05	105.39 ± 14.95 76–148	111.49 ± 13.06 76–142	P < 0.05	52:18	29:12	P > 0.05	20	0	28 (40%)	8 (20%)
Schedule B	80	42	15 ± 1.82 12.06–17.89	15.1 ± 1.57 12.24–17.67	P > 0.05	102 ± 16.66 75–143	105.98 ± 12.92 77–126	P > 0.05	62:18	28:14	P > 0.05	33	1	37 (46%)	7 (17%)
Schedule C	61	48	9.37 ± 1.49 6.23–11.96	9.39 ± 1.6 6.23–11.97	P > 0.05	107.02 ± 14.44 77–148	112.6 ± 11.69 85–142	P < 0.05	41:20	28:20	P > 0.05	31	0	26 (43%)	5 (10%)
Schedule D	40	19	19.15 ± 5.1 11.49–30.17	18.53 ± 3.91 12.58–27.11	P > 0.05	67.03 ± 5.34 55–74	65.58 ± 7.45 51–74	P > 0.05	26:14	13:6	P > 0.05	15	3	17 (43%)	9 (47%)
	B. RMET
Overall	277	211	16.45 ± 5.75 6.23–30.26	16.35 ± 5.65 6.23–30.95	P > 0.05	101.9 ± 18.43 56–148	107.21 ± 16.28 52–142	P < 0.001	198:78	134:77	P > 0.05	104	8	120 (43%)	38 (18%)
Schedule A	87	67	22.57 ± 3.51 18.01–30.26	22.51 ± 3.42 18.11–30.95	P > 0.05	105.87 ± 15.01 76–148	110.88 ± 12.93 76–142	P < 0.05	61:26	42:25	P > 0.05	24	1	34 (39%)	14 (21%)
Schedule B	89	74	15.05 ± 1.83 12.06–17.89	15.38 ± 1.72 12.03–17.96	P > 0.05	105.02 ± 14.8 78–143	107.05 ± 12.61 77–140	P > 0.05	69:20	50:24	P > 0.05	35	4	41 (46%)	12 (16%)
Schedule C	70	57	9.44 ± 1.54 6.23–11.96	9.67 ± 1.58 6.23–11.97	P > 0.05	107.61 ± 14.87 77–148	112.49 ± 11.7 85–142	P < 0.05	49:21	34:23	P > 0.05	32	0	32 (46%)	5 (9%)
Schedule D	31	13	19.08 ± 4.24 12.77–29.21	19.8 ± 3.9 14.55–27.11	P > 0.05	66 ± 7.45 52–74	68.13 ± 4.63 56–74	P > 0.05	19:11	8:5	P > 0.05	13	3	13 (42%)	7 (54%)
	C. FET
Overall	148	107	16.31 ± 5.75 6.23–28.57	15.88 ± 5.99 7.43–30.21	P > 0.05	100.08 ± 19.27 55–148	105.52 ± 19.28 52–142	P < 0.05	102:46	72:35	P > 0.05	56	5	70 (47%)	22 (21%)
Schedule A	47	30	22.4 ± 3.47 18.02–29.57	22.72 ± 3.28 18.11–29.84	P > 0.05	105.22 ± 16.04 76–148	112.6 ± 11.15 94–142	P < 0.05	32:15	22:8	P > 0.05	13	0	22 (47%)	5 (17%)
Schedule B	48	28	14.99 ± 1.88 12.28–17.89	15.03 ± 1.70 12.24–17.67	P > 0.05	101.38 ± 16.18 75–142	107.68 ± 11.79 77–126	P > 0.05	36:12	19:9	P > 0.05	21	1	26 (54%)	4 (14%)
Schedule C	35	36	9.16 ± 1.62 6.23–11.91	9.5 ± 1.39 7.43–11.69	P > 0.05	107.6 ± 14.94 77–148	113 ± 12.24 85–142	P > 0.05	22:13	23:13	P > 0.05	14	0	14 (40%)	5 (14%)
Schedule D	18	13	17.89 ± 4.82 13.79–27.21	19.56 ± 4.79 13.79–30.21	P > 0.05	67 ± 5.47 55–74	63.85 ± 7.01 52–74	P > 0.05	12:6	8:5	P > 0.05	8	4	8 (44%)	8 (61%)

Statistical significance was defined as p-value of 0.05 divided by the number of tests performed
¹For Schedules A-C (defined by age and IQ: A - > children, B - > adolescents, C - > adults, IQ ≥ 75 the control group comprises typically developing participants, for Schedule D (defined by age and IQ) those are adults and adults from 12 years with mild ID (IQ 50–75)
*Neuropsychiatric symptoms that data was gathered on included ADHD, anxiety, depression, and behavioural disorders

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